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EP-4742474-A1 - SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PROVIDING LEAKAGE CURRENT PROTECTION

EP4742474A1EP 4742474 A1EP4742474 A1EP 4742474A1EP-4742474-A1

Abstract

Systems, methods and software products for operating a power supply circuit (PSC). The methods comprise: providing electrical power, from a power source, at a first socket of a power supply circuit and a second socket and/or third socket of PSC; concurrently monitoring, by a current sensing element (i) first currents on first lines (wherein the first lines facilitate electrical connection of the power source to the first socket of the plurality of sockets), and (ii) second currents on second lines (wherein the second lines facilitate electrical connection of the power source to the second socket of the plurality of sockets; detecting an insulation fault based on a current imbalance in the concurrent monitoring; and causing at least one circuit breaker of the power supply circuit to trip when the insulation fault is detected. The first currents have a polarity that is opposite of a polarity of the second currents. The present teachings also disclose use of a current sensor in a power supply circuit.

Inventors

  • Fiedler, Florian

Assignees

  • Instagrid GmbH

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20241111

Claims (15)

  1. A method for operating a power supply circuit, the method comprising: providing electrical power, from a power source, at a first socket of a power supply circuit and a second socket and a third socket of the power supply circuit; concurrently monitoring, by a current sensing element, • first currents on first lines, the first lines facilitating electrical connection of the power source to the first socket of the plurality of sockets, and • second currents on second lines, wherein the second lines facilitating electrical connection of the power source to the second socket of the plurality of sockets, • wherein first currents have a polarity that is opposite to a polarity of the second currents; detecting an insulation fault based on a current imbalance in the concurrent monitoring; and optionally, causing at least one circuit breaker of the power supply circuit to trip when the insulation fault is detected.
  2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the current sensing element comprises a residual current device or a fluxgate-based residual current sensor.
  3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first, second and or third sockets are electrically disconnected from the power supply circuit when the at least one circuit breaker is tripped.
  4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first currents comprise a first forward current and a first return current, while the second currents comprise a second forward current and a second return current.
  5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the first forward current and the second return current flow through the current sensing element in a first direction, and the first return current and the second forward current flow through the current sensing element in a second direction opposite to the first direction.
  6. The method according to claim 1, wherein third currents on third lines are unmonitored during use of the power supply circuit, the third lines facilitating electrical connection of the power source to a third socket of the plurality of sockets.
  7. The method according to claim 1, wherein: one of the first lines facilitates an electrical connection between the power source and an active conductor of the first socket; another one of the first lines facilitates an electrical connection between the power source and a neutral conductor of the first socket; one of the second third lines facilitates an electrical connection between the power source and an active conductor of the second socket; and another one of the second lines facilitates an electrical connection between the power source and a neutral conductor of the second socket.
  8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the detecting is further based on whether a first combined current associated with the first currents is equal to a second combined current associated with the second currents.
  9. The method according to claim 1, wherein said detecting is further based on a comparison of a first combined current associated with the first currents and a second combined current associated with the second currents.
  10. The method according to claim 8, wherein the insulation fault is detected when a non-zero current value is obtained by subtracting the second combined current from the first combined current.
  11. The method according to claim 8, wherein the insulation fault is not detected when a zero current value is obtained by subtracting the second combined current from the first combined current.
  12. A system configured to perform the steps of any of the preceding method claims.
  13. Use of a current sensor to perform the steps of any of the preceding method clauses.
  14. The use of claim 13, wherein the current sensor comprises a residual current device or a fluxgate-based residual current sensor.
  15. A power supply circuit, comprising: a power source; a plurality of sockets electrically connected to the power source; at least one circuit breaker connected between the power source and the plurality of sockets; a current sensing element configured to concurrently monitor • first currents on first lines, the first lines facilitating electrical connection of the power source to a first socket of the plurality of sockets, and • second currents on second lines, the second lines facilitating electrical connection of the power source to a second socket of the plurality of sockets, • wherein the first currents have a polarity that is opposite to a polarity of the second currents; and optionally a controller configured to detect an insulation fault based on a current imbalance in the concurrent monitoring, and further optionally cause that at least one circuit breaker to trip when the insulation fault is detected.

Description

BACKGROUND Description of the Related Art Battery cell packs are often used to power electronic devices. Different combinations of the battery cell packs are used to provide different output voltages. SUMMARY The present disclosure concerns implementing systems, methods and software products for operating a power circuit, such as a power supply circuit. The methods comprise: providing electrical power, from a power source, at a first socket of a power supply circuit and a second socket and a third socket of the power supply circuit; concurrently monitoring, by a current sensing element, (i) first currents on first lines (wherein the first lines facilitate electrical connection of the power source to the first socket of the plurality of sockets), and (ii) second currents on second lines (wherein the second lines facilitate electrical connection of the power source to the second socket of the plurality of sockets); detecting an insulation fault based on a current imbalance in the concurrent monitoring; and optionally causing at least one circuit breaker of the power supply circuit to trip when the insulation fault is detected. The first currents have a polarity that is opposite to a polarity of the second currents. The present disclosure also concerns a power supply circuit, comprising: a power source circuit (e.g., a power source); a plurality of sockets electrically connected to the power source circuit; at least one circuit breaker connected between the power source circuit and the plurality of sockets; a current sensing element configured to concurrently monitor (i) first currents on first lines (wherein the first lines facilitate electrical connection of the power source circuit to a first socket of the plurality of sockets), and (ii) second currents on second lines (wherein the second lines facilitate electrical connection of the power source circuit to a second socket of the plurality of sockets); and a controller configured to detect an insulation fault based on a current imbalance in the concurrent monitoring, and optionally cause that at least one circuit breaker to trip when the insulation fault is detected. The first currents have a polarity that is opposite to a polarity of the second currents. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The present solution will be described with reference to the following drawing figures, in which like numerals represent like items throughout the figures. FIG. 1A provides a schematic diagram of an example energy storage module, according to some non-limiting embodiments or aspects.FIG. 1B provides an illustrative block diagram of a circuit in the energy storage module.FIG. 1C provides a circuit diagram of an energy storage module, according to some non-limiting embodiments or aspects.FIG. 1D provides a perspective view of an energy storage module.FIG. 1E provides an illustrative circuit diagram for the transistor active bridge circuit. FIGS. 1A-1E are collectively referred to as "FIG. 1".FIGS. 2A-2C (collectively referred to as "FIG. 2") are schematic diagrams of an example energy storage module container of energy storage modules, according to some non-limiting embodiments or aspects.FIGS. 3A and 3B (collectively referred to as "FIG. 3") are schematic diagrams of an example power supply system, according to some non-limiting embodiments or aspects.FIG. 4 is a circuit diagram of an example power supply system, according to some non-limiting embodiments or aspects.FIG. 5 provides an illustration that is useful for understanding a novel technique for controlling the energy storage modules in accordance with the present solution.FIG. 6 provides an illustration of a system in which a single electronic device is supplied power from a power supply.FIG. 7 provides an illustration of a system in which two electronic devices are supplied power from a power supply. In this case, there may be a fault condition but no danger to the user since the enclosures are electrically connected.FIG. 8 provides an illustration of a system in which an insulation fault occurs when two electronic devices are being supplied power from a power supply.FIGS. 9A-9C (collectively referred to as "FIG. 9") provide illustrations of a system in which two electronic devices are supplied power from a power supply with one or more residual current devices (RCD) to provide leakage current protection.FIGS. 10A-10D (collectively referred to as "FIG. 10") provide illustrations of a system in which two electronic devices are supplied power from a power supply with a residual current sensing element (RCSE) to provide leakage current protection.FIGS. 11A-11B (collectively referred to herein as "FIG. 11") provide illustrations of other power supply architectures with more than three sockets.FIG. 12 provides a flow diagram of an illustrative method for operating a circuit to provide with leakage current protection.FIG. 13 provides a flow diagram of an illustrative method for operating a power supply circuit.FIG. 14 pro